


Through Your Eyes

by Single_Man_Tear



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Blind Character, Blind Dean, Bullying, Happy Ending, High School Castiel/Dean Winchester, Homophobic Language, Humor, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Balthazar/Castiel, Punk Castiel, Rating May Change, Sarcastic Dean, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-19 04:46:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5954128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Single_Man_Tear/pseuds/Single_Man_Tear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel Novak just wanted to get through his senior year of high school. Get accepted to some school a thousand miles away, leave town and never come back. All he had to do was lay low in his new school and he would be just fine. Should be easy enough, right? Yeah, no. And after he runs (literally runs) into Dean Winchester after a particularly rough morning, things only get more complicated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello internet!! This is one of my favorite AUs and, after reading pretty much every story out there, I decided to add one of my own. Hope you enjoy it! Hope to update regularly! Love you all!

Day thirty two out of one hundred and eighty. One hundred and forty eight remaining. Not that Castiel was counting down the days until his final year of school ended. He most certainly did not roll out of bed and mark off another day on his calendar with an angry red X, nor did he add another tally to the quickly filling page in his notebook, thank you very much. 

Shuffling across the room, floor still littered with the remains of cardboard boxes and tissue paper, Castiel reached blindly into his closet and pulled out the first shirt and pair of pants he got his hands on. He knew they would match; the majority of his wardrobe was black, save for the occasional red t-shirt or dark blue skinny jeans. 

Plopping down on a stool in the bathroom, he pulled out a tattered ziplock bag and fished out one of the few remaining sharpened stubs of black eyeliner. He’d have to go out and buy some after school; he was tired of getting splinters. Gel was running low too he discovered after shaking the bottle for almost two minutes and only producing a pea sized amount. Pursing his lips, he rubbed it over his hands and ran them through his hair until the cobalt blue locks stuck out every which way. Just the way he liked it. 

He appraised himself in the mirror before lacing up his boots and tiptoeing as carefully as he could down the hall. Not wanting to risk finding his mother, or worse, his older brother Michael in the kitchen, he opted to skip breakfast and just head to school. 

***

Free State High School was Lawrence Kansas’ pride and joy. Of course, the same could not be said for those who attended it. Many came from wealthy families, with trust funds and pre planned college educations abroad. Those who didn’t had enough brains or brawn to be lined up for full ride scholarships to any university of their choosing. Those kind of backgrounds lead to some fairly inflated egos. Put them all together in one high school and it becomes a complete disaster.

Castiel did not fit in there, not that he had fit in much better at his old school. He was very smart, but not passionate about math or science. He disliked writing, though he could read for hours on end. When it came to sports, he had two left feet and couldn’t throw or kick a ball to save his life. He enjoyed running, but had no desire to race around a track in a tank top and uncomfortable shorts. 

No, he had always preferred art. He liked to paint, to sketch. He enjoyed molding clay and even took glass blowing classes back in New York. That, along with his blue spiked hair and black painted fingernails, made him a prime target for all kinds of vile behavior. 

“Sup Cassie!” Castiel glanced up as he walked past a group of football players lounging against the wall. 

“Alistair.” He nodded once before ducking his head and following another group of students inside, ignoring the snickers that followed him as he passed. 

He discovered why once he reached his locker, biting back a groan. 

It was not the first time in his life that he had discovered the word ‘faggot’ sharpied across his locker door, and he was certain it wouldn’t be the last. But it was the first time it had happened at Free State High, and he knew that sharpie was a complete pain in the ass to scrub of polyethylene. 

Ignoring the small crowd that had followed behind him to see his reaction, Castiel opened the door and pulled out his books, closing it was a loud snap. He didn’t look up as he passed, simply pushing through the crowd and making his way down the hall. 

American Lit. slowly ticked by. Castiel spent it watching the second hand creep around the clock. He had already read all the material, could practically recite The Great Gatsby from memory at this point. Trigonometry was no better, aside from the quick whisper of “freak!” as he passed. 

Castiel was busy looking through his bag when he walked into French three. Most of the students had already taken their seats, many watching them as he approached. He heard someone whisper something but paid no attention. 

Perhaps he should have.

A second too late he saw the foot in the middle of the aisle. Just in time for him to trip over it, sending him sprawling to the floor. Books, pencils, paper, all scattered across the floor in front of him. He watched them slide away, laughter ringing in his ears as he forced himself up off the floor. 

He vaguely heard his teacher approach in a flurry of, “Castiel, are you alright?”

“M’ fine.” He waved her off, slowly collecting his books and papers off the floor, abandoning his pencil when it rolled under the counter. 

He sank into a chair in the back of the room, staring out the window in an attempt to block out the eyes and the smirks he could feel on the side of his skull. 

As soon as the bell rang, Castiel bolted. He grabbed his books, slung his bag over his arm, and ran. He didn’t look up as he ran down the hall, didn’t look back when he shouldered people out of the way. 

Again, he should have paid more attention. 

Rounding the corner, he ran headlong into someone. Someone who was very sturdy. It was like hitting a wall. 

Castiel fell hard on his back, bag flying away for the second time. He heard something plastic skitter across the floor, but ignored it. His back was stinging, his books were scattered across the ground, and he was about to snap. After everything that had happened so far that morning, this fall was the tipping point. 

“What the hell is wrong with you!” He lashed out, climbing to his feet and hastily gathering his books “Look where you’re going next time!” He knew the guy did it on purpose, everyone at the school did. They just usually didn’t go for it all in one day. Cas shook his head and shoved his books back in his bag. As he turned to leave, he noticed the plastic object on the floor across the hall. 

It was a cane. A white cane, the end dipped in red. His eyes widened in recognition, anger evaporating to nothing short of panic. Hoping if he turned around slow enough, he would wake up and it would all be a horrible dream, Castiel looked over his shoulder. 

Still seated on the ground from the fall, sunglasses askew, displaying one brilliant green eye, was his assailant. 

He was blind. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter!! It's kind of short, but I hope you enjoy it!! xoxo

Castiel stared at him. He stared back, eye slightly to the left of him, but the near accuracy was disturbing. He couldn’t even process the pleasant smile the student wore, like Castiel’s outburst had just made his day. 

“Sure thing, buddy, I’ll be sure to look out for you next time.” He said sarcastically, though his crooked smile was still in place. It was rather unsettling. 

“I-I…” Castiel stammered, not knowing what to do. People were staring now, some sniggering behind their hands.

This was not a good day.

Suddenly snapping back to reality, Castiel scrambled across the hall, gathering the papers and cane that had slid across the floor. He quickly walked over to the tean, who had finally climbed to his feet. He held his hands out, like he knew what Castiel was doing. 

Castiel quickly deposited them in his waiting hands and started backing away, self hatred clutching his chest. He should apologize. He tried to find the right words., something between "I'm sorry I'm an asshole" or "I'm sorry I screamed at you for being blind". 

Before he could, the man smiled again. “Thanks, man. Would have been a bitch to try and find those on my own. You got no idea how slippery this thing is.” He waved the cane to demonstrate. 

“I-I’m sorry.” Castiel finally managed through the tightness in his chest. “I have to go.” He said quickly, turning on his heel and running in the opposite direction before the student could protest. 

***

Castiel debated skipping school the next day. He had spent the remainder of the previous afternoon hiding in the men's restroom, smoking half a pack of cigarettes out the open window to ease his panic. They only succeeded in causing a coughing fit that made his anxiety worsen as he hunched over the sink and drank straight from the faucet. 

The thought of having to face another morning at Free State High after the torment of the previous day seemed unbearable. He hit snooze as many times as possible on his alarm until the threat of his mother waking up and coming in forced him out of bed. 

The entire walk from his house to the school was interrupted by several detours through the woods while he tried to convince himself to skip. The only thing that forced him to press on, showing up to class five minutes late, was the fear that if he didn’t show up, the school would call his home looking for him. 

There were added smirks and whispers as he passed now, not to mention accusations of him taking out innocent cripples. He shoved his ear buds as deep as they would go, blasting his music so loud one of the teachers gave him a disapproving glare as he passed. Ducking into American Literature, he slumped to the back of the class, careful to avoid stray feet as he passed. He doodled on the corner of his notebook through the entire hour, trying to collapse in on himself any time the teacher asked a question, even though he knew the answer. The bell’s shrill ring through the classroom brought on a huge sigh of relief, rushing from the room before anyone else had even touched their books. 

He made a beeline for that same back of the room seat in French that afternoon, keeping his earbuds in until it became essential that he paid attention. 

“Now, I have your assignments from yesterday and have decided to pair you off and have you review them yourselves. The results were rather disappointing, but we had a few surprise passes so I have grouped you accordingly.”

Castiel groaned, dropping his head down to the cool desk top with a thunk. 

Partners. The universe was clearly conspiring against him. 

He listened anxiously for his name to be called, praying someone, anyone, was out sick so he would be the odd man out. 

“Lastly, Castiel Novak and Dean Winchester.”   
Castiel frowned, peering curiously around the room as everyone stood up and grouped together. No one moved toward him...maybe he had gotten lucky after all and someone had left. 

There was one student left a few rows away from him, tapping something annoyingly against his foot. Castiel frowned and looked around before slowly getting to his feet and walking to the teacher. 

“Um...which one is Dean?” He whispered and she gave him a small smile, handing him their papers. One of them was rough to touch. 

“He’s right there waiting in the back.” She gestured to the student that hadn’t moved and Castiel peered at him curiously. 

Taking a few timid steps forward, the teen seemed to hear him, looking up from the paper in front of him with a small smile. A familiar crooked smile. Paired with those familiar Ray Bans covering his eyes. And the white and red cane tapping against his foot. 

“Castiel?” He asked in a deep, friendly rumble. 

Castiel almost nodded before catching himself with a cough. “Um, yes.”

A wide smile as the teen extended his hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Dean.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any thoughts? Let me know in the comments! I didn't have much time for editing, so if you see anything that needs to be edited, let me know!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! Another chapter for you! Hope you enjoy.

_ ‘This cannot be happening. This cannot be happening. This cannot be happening.’ _

Castiel sank into his seat beside Dean on unsteady legs. He glanced in his peer’s direction before dropping his head to his hands and hoping beyond hope that Dean didn’t somehow recognize him from yesterday. 

“So…” Dean started, tilting his head in Castiel’s direction, a smile playing along the corners of his lips. “Take out any more blind people yesterday? Or was I just a special case?”

Castiel’s head slipped from his hands, thumping onto the desk. 

“I’m so sorry-” Castiel began, voice muffled by the cold wood on his face, but he was cut short by a loud burst of laughter. 

“I’m only joking, Cas. Honest mistake.” Dean grinned, sunglasses giving off the illusion that he was staring right at him. 

“Cas?”

His smile faltered, “Sorry, should I not call you that?”

“No it’s...it’s alright. No one’s ever called me that before.”

Dean’s smile widened as he reached out and swiped the papers off the table, feeling one of them before sliding the other to Castiel. “So, I’m guessing since I got paired with you, that means I failed....yet again.” He didn’t sound too deterred by the fact that were was, indeed, a D on the top of his paper. 

“Um...apparently so?” Castiel offered and Dean laughed again. 

“Ah well, it was a miracle I passed the first two years anyways. Luck was bound to run out at some point.” He sighed, leaning back in his chair and running his fingers along the ridges in his paper. 

“Do you mind if I read it?” Castiel asked timidly. 

“Sure, go for it.” Dean slid the paper to him across the table. 

Castiel surveyed the exam curiously. He wondered to himself if Dean had always been blind. His test paper had all the questions written in both braille and printed for the teacher, but what surprised Castiel was that Dean’s answers were written on the dotted line in a neat, somewhat crooked script. 

Most of the answers were right, but conjugated incorrectly. 

“See any miracle cure?” Dean teased when Castiel didn’t speak for a moment. 

“Oh, sorry.” Castiel bristled, straightening up and passing the paper back. “It seems like all the answers are right, but conjugated wrong.”

“Ah yes, those pesky conjugations.” Dean shook his head, “Wish I could go back to learning the alphabet and colors again.”

“As do I.” Castiel said with a smile. “But it won’t be too hard to fix. And you only got about five of them wrong, so you have a good base.”

“Which ones are wrong?” He asked, wiggling his fingers toward Castiel, who just started perplexedly at them. Dean laughed, like he could see the expression. 

“Can you take my hand and show me?” He clarified. 

“Oh, yes. Sorry.” Castiel stumbled. 

“No worries.”

Castiel gently reached out and placed his hand over Dean’s, guiding it around the page to the third question. His hand was warm and smooth. He quickly let go when Dean started reading the question. 

“And I put  _ pouvoir _ ?” Dean asked. 

“Yes. It should have been  _ peuvent _ .” Castiel replied. 

“And the next one?”

The class continued that way, Castiel placing a hand over Dean’s and leading him from question to question, explaining the correct conjugation of the verb he had tried to use. 

When the bell rang, for once Castiel didn’t feel the urge to flee the room. He slowly put his books in his bag and waited until Dean stood up and playfully tapped his boot with his cane. 

“You heading to lunch?”

Castiel started to nod but caught himself again. “Yes.” He didn’t feel the need to add that he usually just sat in the bathroom with a protein bar for the designated forty five minutes, following Dean out of the classroom as he tapped down the hall. Truthfully, he hadn’t even seen the inside of the cafeteria since his first day (thirty three days ago now). 

They walked side by side, Dean a little closer than Castiel thought most people preferred, but he discovered why a few minutes later. 

“Wrong way, Cas.” Dean said swiftly, reaching out with surprising accuracy to catch his elbow. When Castiel looked up, blushing beet red, Dean was grinning. 

“Guessing you don’t eat in the cafeteria much.” He chided. 

“Um...no, not really.” Castiel admitted.

Dean nodded once, seeming to understand. “Yeah...not exactly the most welcoming of crowds here at Free State.”

“No.” Was Castiel’s only reply. 

This made Dean frown, glancing briefly in Castiel’s direction. 

“Alistair?” He asked knowingly. 

“How did you-”

“Had a run in with him my first day. I transferred from Lawrence High School half way through freshman year. He pushed me down the back stairs.”   
“I’m sorry.” Was all Castiel managed.

“Nah, it’s no big deal. Got him suspended so he’s left me alone ever since. Especially after I put the end of my cane through his windshield.” Dean recalled wistfully. “Not that they ever proved it.” He added in a whisper with a sly smile that made Castiel laugh. 

“But don’t worry, it’ll pass.” Dean said brightly, steering Castiel down another hallway, following the growing crowd toward a set of double doors at the end. “Besides, you’ve got me now.” He grinned, slinging an arm around Castiel’s shoulders with little effort. 

Castiel only smiled back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooooooooooooo any thoughts?? Please leave in the comments, love hearing from you all! Again, see any flaws, feel free to comment and I'll go back and edit.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! Sorry I've been off a couple of days; got into a car accident so things have been a little blah around here. Will be back to posting more regularly soon but it might take a few days to get chapters up for a bit! Finally bringing some more people into the story now. Yay!

“Alright, so, layout of the cafeteria.” Dean said briskly as they entered the lunchroom. “On the left side, you’ve got pretty much everyone you want to avoid. Football, baseball, general sports fanatics and muscle heads stay over there. Downside to that is the cheerleaders tend to flock over there too, but you can’t have everything in life.” Dean grinned, steering Castiel toward the right side of the cafeteria, tapping along the wall to avoid the main traffic in the middle. It was somewhat like wading through a sea of angry baboons, but Dean seemed to know what he was doing. 

“Party’s on the right. You’ve got your nerds, geeks, yes there is a difference, theater kids, music lovers, and just your general awesomeness on this side.” The arm still slung around his shoulders continued to steer him along the wall until they reached the last row of tables in the back.    
“Obviously, I sit back here, with the greatest people you will ever meet.” The way Dean grinned at him made Castiel feel like he was missing something.

“I don’t understand that reference.”   
The smile faltered. “What...don’t tell me you’ve never seen Mean Girls! It’s a classic”

“Er…no?”    
Dean groaned, “You, me, sometime soon, are going to have to sit down and watch it. Best high school film ever made! Featuring Lindsay Lohan before she went bat shit crazy.”

Castiel didn’t feel the need to mention he had no idea who that was, so he smiled, “I’d like that.”   
“Dean!” Castiel looked up as Dean waved cheerfully in the direction of the voice.

“Hey Charlie.”

Dean stopped at the end of a table almost filled with students, shoving his way in on the end so there was enough room for Castiel to sit down beside him. 

When Castiel didn’t move, Dean turned around, head tilted toward him with that welcoming crooked smile. 

“C’mon sit down. They won’t bite.”

“Unless you ask nicely.” A brunette piped up from across the table, her sharp eyes surveying Castiel with mild interest. She caught his eye and gave him a playful smirk.

“Shut up, Meg.” Dean grinned as Castiel slowly slid in beside him, fully aware of the eyes watching. He recognized one of the students from his Trigonometry class.

“Alright everyone, this is Cas. Cas, this is everyone.” Dean swept a hand broadly across the table to indicate his companions. “People, introduce yourselves. I don’t know where you are. Not waving my arms around in the wrong direction like a gorilla.” 

The petite redhead on Dean’s left reached across him to shake Castiel’s hand. “I’m Charlie, the brains of the group.”   
“I think you’ll find that’s actually me.” The student across from her, sporting a mullet and a flannel shirt with cut off sleeves. Charlie only rolled her eyes and continued like she hadn’t heard.

“And this is my girlfriend, Dorothy.” She added, raising their intertwined hands in a joint wave as Dorothy smiled. 

“You ever need anything hacked, Charlie’s your girl. Saved my grades a few times the past couple years.”

Castiel suddenly understood why Dean wasn’t too worried about his failing French grade.

“I’m Ash. I think we’re in Trig together.” The guy with the mullet introduced, also shaking his hand. 

“Another hacker, but he prefers to use his skills for less productive methods.” Charlie added with a wry smile.

“Yeah, if the library computer home screens get changed to images of pinup girls or the words “SUCK IT” appear on the scoreboard at a game, you’ll know it was him.” Dean clarified. 

“Good to know.” Castiel smile and Ash gave him a thumbs up.

“You know who I am already.” Meg waved from her seat while shoving Dean’s hand away as he groped for one of her fries.

The last was a student who looked a good five years too old to be in high school. With a full beard and more muscle on one arm than Castiel had on his entire body, he looked more like a champion wrestler than a high school senior.

“Benny.” He said simply in a deep Southern drawl that perfectly matched his features. 

“The muscle.” Dean supplied and Benny grinned.

“You know it, brother.”

“Lisa sitting with us today?” Charlie asked, looking over her shoulder toward the left side of the cafeteria where Castiel already knew he would never dare to venture.

He didn’t miss the way Dean’s face darkened and he started playing with the fry he had finally swiped from Meg. 

“Nah, not today.”

“Trouble in paradise?” Meg asked, sounding like she didn’t expect anything less.

Dean shot the fry back at her, missing by only a couple of inches. She merely raised her eyebrows.

“Lisa?” Castiel asked after a moment.

“Dean’s girlfriend.” Ash clarified.

Castiel felt his stomach drop a little, though he couldn’t explain why. He glanced at Dean, who was still glowering moodily at the table. Castiel didn’t like it.

After a tense moment of silence, Ash said, “I’m thinking of hacking the school’s intercom system tomorrow. You know the principle’s supposed to give this big speech over morning announcements? I believe it could use some tweaking.”   
That seemed to brighten Dean’s spirits, an already familiar grin lighting up his features. “Pretty sure that speech is about the dangers of drug use. What did you have in mind?”

“I’m thinking that Snoop song, ‘Smoke Weed Everyday’.” Ash said slyly. “Certainly get his message across, even if it’s not the one he wanted.”

Dean laughed, reaching out a hand for Ash to high five. Castiel watched the two of them with a small smile.

“You two are children.” Charlie pointed out fondly, only making Dean laugh harder.

“But you love us.”

“You know I do.” She sighed, catching Castiel’s eye and winking. He smiled back, feeling comfortable for the first time in all thirty three days. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So............any thoughts?? Please leave a comment below, as always I love hearing from you. See any mistakes, leave a comment and I'll go back through and edit them out because I always miss something! Love you all!! xoxo


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright my lovelies! Sorry for the brief hiatus! Here's another chapter for you! Hope you all enjoy!   
> P.S Beware of brief, mild homophobic language. :"(

Castiel quickly discovered over the following week that he and Dean had absolutely nothing in common. Not a single thing. 

Castiel also quickly discovered that he didn’t give a damn, because he enjoyed the look of utter surprise that crossed Dean’s face when he admitted he hadn’t heard a song he talked about or seen the movie he was referencing. 

Dean enjoyed almost all kind of music, except country, which he adamantly despised. “I will have none of that twangy hillbilly music in my presence, so if you like that crap, get away from me.”

But his favorite was classic rock, which was obvious from the number of eighties band t-shirts he sported. He hadn’t repeated one yet. Not that Castiel was keeping track. Because he wasn’t. 

He had rolled his eyes over the top of his sunglasses when Castiel declared classical music was the best music to listen to. 

“Yeah, if you’re trying to fall asleep. Seriously, I had a history teacher in eighth grade that played Beethoven during exams and I passed out every time.” But after about ten minutes of arguing Dean agreed that classical jazz at least was acceptable. 

Dean seemed personally offended by the number of movies Castiel hadn’t seen in his life, ranging from horror to action, even extending down to romantic comedies (“Don’t tell Charlie, I’ll never hear the end of it.”). The list that had started with Mean Girls had now grown to cover all of Star Wars, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Mission Impossible, James Bond, several classic movies, dozens of “chick-flicks” that Castiel apparently hadn’t lived without seeing, and at least twenty others Castiel had already forgotten the names of. 

Needless to say, their movie night had turned into more of a movie month, and Castiel was looking forward to every minute of it. 

The alarm at his bedside table rang shrilly in his ear and Castiel slammed his hand down on it, peering blurrily across the room. He smiled when he saw the calendar. 

He had forgotten to cross off the all days since he met Dean. 

School hadn’t seemed so bad with him around. They sat together in the back during French; Dean’s was slowly starting to improve since they’d been paired up. Castiel would have to buy his teacher a nice card for Christmas in thanks. 

And for the first time in his life, Castiel had a group of friends. Not just a single acquaintance that he occasionally talked to, but a number of people who waved to him in the halls, chatted with him in class, even smiled when they saw him. He was still closest with Dean, but it was nice to know there were other people that liked having him around. 

Stopping at his locker before class, Castiel smiled a little at the door. After hearing about what happened to his door, Charlie had supplied him with a Free State High School Theater sticker to cover it up. 

Of course, today at least, that hadn’t stopped someone from shoving a note through the slots in the door. Castiel sighed and unfolded it. 

_ CASTIEL TAKES IT UP THE ASS! _

Castiel peered at the messy scrawl with pursed lips, looking over his shoulder when he heard someone laughing. It was Raphael, from the baseball team. It wasn’t the first time he’d found a note like that in his locker, so it stung a little less. Crumbling it up, he walked straight by the still sniggering baseball player and tossed it in the trash.

Stung less didn’t mean it didn’t sting at all though. Castiel heard the laughter ringing in his ears as he walked to class, making sure to sit in the back. He had gotten a little more adventurous over the past couple weeks, after days had gone by without incident and sat more in the middle. Today he reverted back to his old habits, hiding in the back corner for his first two classes, staring out the window to avoid looking at anyone. 

His day only seemed to get worse as he walked into French and saw the seat Dean usually occupied was empty. He looked around before sitting down beside it, hoping beyond hope that Dean was just running late. 

But as the bell rang Castiel slumped, defeated, into his seat and stared down at the floor. 

Someone behind him was kicking his seat. He resisted the urge to turn around and glare at whoever it was. 

The forty five minutes seemed to crawl by, Castiel spending most of his time doodling on the corner of his notebook.  As soon as the bell rang, he bolted from the room, intending on spending his lunch hiding in the bathroom.

“Hey, Cas!” Someone shouted and he cringed automatically, until he recognized the voice. 

Charlie was jogging after him with a wide smile.  “Where ya goin’?”

He glanced over his shoulder, “...Um…”

“Hey, I saw what happened this morning. Are you okay?” She asked with wide, concerned eyes. 

Castiel’s shoulders slumped, “Yeah, I’m fine. Not the first time.”

She appraised him for a moment with narrowed eyes before grabbing his hand and tugging him back toward the cafeteria. 

“Uh, Charlie, I’m really-”

“Hungry and could use some company.” She finished with a cheerful smile. “Besides, Dean told me you might hide out while he was gone and told me explicitly to make sure you ate lunch.”

Castiel rolled his eyes, but felt warmth in his chest hearing Dean was looking out for him. He allowed himself to be tugged by his hand into the cafeteria and back to his customary seat at the back table, which was missing not one, but two students. 

“Where’s Meg?” He asked as he sat down. 

Dorothy smirked, “Got herself in detention again.”

“Apparently smoking in the women’s room is frowned upon.” Ash commented, “Though seem I get away with it in the men’s room just fine.”

“I think they gave up on you a long time ago.” Charlie argued and Ash shrugged with a grin. 

“What about Dean?”

  
Benny tapped beside his eye, “Three month eye appointment.” 

“Three month?”

“He goes every few months to get them checked out.” Charlie explained. 

Castiel sat in silence, picking at the fry Dorothy had offered him. 

“Has Dean always been blind?” He asked after a moment, wondering if it was right for him to ask. 

“Nope.” Ash said around a mouthful of food that made Charlie grimace. 

Castiel frowned, waiting for more of an explanation. 

“Charlie knows the story better. She was living next door to them at the time, saw some of it happen.” He added. 

Charlie sighed, “Gee thanks.”

Castiel waited while she planned out what to say. “There was a chemical fire when he was four. His Mom and Dad were on the bottom floor, he had his brother were trapped on the top. Dean covered his baby brother to keep the smoke out, but that left his face exposed. The smoke messed up his eye tissue. By the time the firemen got them out, he’d lost sight in both eyes.”

Castiel stared at her with his mouth agape, unable to wrap his head around what she had just told him. 

“There’s nothing they can do?” He finally managed. She shook her head saddly. 

“The doctors said there’s a chance he could get his sight back.” Benny offered after Castiel continued to sit with a dumbstruck look on his face. “And his eyes look way better than they did when he was little. Believe me. They used to be pale green. Now they’re back to their old color. He used think he looked like a zombie. That always cheered him up.”

“Now he jokes that he's going to turn into Daredevil someday and start saving the world." Ash added with a grin. 

Castiel managed a weak smile. That sounded like Dean. 

“Will he mind that you told me?”

Ash shook her head, “Nah, it’ll save him the trouble. He’s tired of telling it after all these years. Now he just makes something up.”

“He’s not bitter about it or anything either. Totally accepted it. He saved his brother’s life. That’s all that matters to him.” Charlie added. 

That night when Castiel got home he went straight upstairs and crossed off all the days he’d missed on his calendar. 

He sat down in front of his computer, opened up Google, and typed in “Chances of regaining sight after a chemical fire.”

He clicked on the first article and began to read. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An explanation for Dean! Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, let me know below! Any comments or concerns...or if you just was to say HI! That's totally fine! Pretty please?


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ..............I am so sorry for the delay!!! Ugh! Was not expecting to be away from my computer for so long. Hopefully week long breaks between chapters will not happen again. Have another long overdue chapter! So sorry for taking so long!! xoxo

“What color is your hair, Cas?” Dean asked one lazy November afternoon. It was unseasonably warm, so the two of them had taken their lunch out to the courtyard. Charlie adamantly refused to accompany them, seeing as she and Ash had started a game of Netrunner. She would not risk her precious cards to the harsh treatment of the wind. Dorothy had opted to stay inside and play referee. Their games had a tendency to turn nasty. 

Meg was in detention once again and Benny, he seemed to have a knack for disappearing at random times during the day, so the Dean and Castiel sat alone under the shade of an oak tree. 

Castiel looked up from his homework in surprise at the question. “Sorry?”

Dean tipped his head back from where he was lying across the picnic table to grin at him upside down. “Your hair. What color is it?”

“Oh.” Castiel peered up at the locks hanging down in his face. He needed a haircut. “The back part is black and the front is blue.”

Dean grinned, rolling over and propping his chin on his hand. “I bet that looks awesome. Blue's my favorite color.” Castiel only smiled. “What color blue?”

“Kind of cobalt.” Castiel said thoughtfully, tugging on some of the strands to get a better look at them in the sunlight. 

When Castiel looked up again Dean was a little closer, like he was trying to get a look for himself. Castiel blinked back at him, a blush coloring his cheeks even though his companion couldn’t see. Dean grinned and inched back, sitting up and crossing his legs.

"You have piercings, right?"

"Yes."

“How many do you have?”

Castiel actually had to stop and think, counting on his ears before adding the one on his nose. He wondered if he should count the ones he had let close up in the past year. “Twelve in my ears and one in my nose. I had more but I let them close up.”

Dean let out a low whistle. “What other ones did you have?”

“I had snakebites.” Castiel ran his tongue over the slightly scarred flesh on the right side of his lip. Having your lip ring practically ripped out tends to leave some scars behind. His brother’s temper was not something he cared to talk about. 

Dean frowned, biting his lip like he was trying to imagine them on himself. “Those are the ones on the bottom, right?”

“Yes.”

He grinned, “Damn, Cas! You must look like a total badass!” Again, Castiel couldn’t stop the blush from coloring his cheeks, ducking his head with a smile to play with the laces of his boots. “Why’d you let them close up?”

Castiel frowned, eyes clouding with the memory. 

It was only a year ago; Castiel had come out to his one friend back at his old school, Balthazar, who was already out and proud. They tried dating for a little while, nothing too serious. 

But one afternoon Michael, a senior at the time, caught the two of them holding hands. Again, n othing serious. At least...it shouldn’t have been. 

Castiel shook off the memory with a tight smile that went unnoticed. “Wasn’t feeling it.”

He could feel Dean watching him but thankfully, his friend moved on.

“What about your eyes? What color are they?”

Castiel sighed in relief, “You’re awfully inquisitive today.”

“Inquisitive.” Dean repeated with a grin. “Always so polite. Most people would just say fuck off.”

Castiel laughed, “It doesn’t bother me, I’m just surprised. You’ve never asked about my appearance before.”

Dean mocked shock, placing an offended hand on his chest, “We’d only just met!” He exclaimed in a high voice and Castiel laughed, elbowing him lightly. “Hey hey, no abusing the cripple.” Dean joked and Castiel groaned. 

“Anyway, what color?” Dean pressed. 

“Blue.” 

A groan of his own, “What color blue, Cas?”

Castiel frowned, “Depends. Sometimes dark blue, like an indigo. But other times they are more of an icy blue. Contingent on my mood I guess.”

"Contingent." Dean smirked and Castiel smiled. Dean was looking at him thoughtfully and Castiel could only stared back. Had Dean always had so many freckles splattered across his nose and cheeks?

“Wish I could see you.” Dean said after a moment. For the first time since they’d met, he sounded sad. The first hint that his condition actually weighed on him. Castiel didn’t like to hear it. 

Thinking of all the reading he had done, Castiel offered a confident, “Someday.”

Dean smiled a little and nodded. “Someday.”

They sat in silence for a moment. Castiel’s homework had gone forgotten; there was no point in him trying to get anything done in the next five minutes. May as well just enjoy the sunlight for a little while. 

“Hey!” Dean exclaimed with a sudden wide smile. “What are you doing this weekend?”

Castiel did the same two things on the weekends. The first was hide in his room and hope no one came looking for him. The second was force himself in a holier than thou monkey suit and sit through two hours of church, listening to the priest discuss how everything from his hair to his “choice of lifestyle” was sending him to hell. 

“Nothing. Not a single thing thing.” He answered quickly. 

“Awesome. My brother Sammy has a track meet thingy on Saturday, but on Sunday, I say it’s movie day. You and me, all day movie marathon.” Dean said firmly, leaving no room for argument. Castiel smiled widely. 

“Sounds perfect.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it! Hoping to have the next chapter up soon! Will finally be introducing more characters! Super excited. Let me know what you thought below!!! Please?? Pretty please?? <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY!! This has been a long week, I'm so sorry for leaving this without an update for so long! Have a long overdue chapter. The next one will be up soon! (Finally bringing in some more people! Yay!)

Castiel was on the roof. He did this often, liking to watch the Kansas sunrise over the top of the surrounding trees. This morning, however, it was for another reason. He was waiting.

His mother and brother had a very distinct Sunday routine. It had not varied since Castiel was a child, except Michael had graduated from reading picture books over his cup of milk to newspapers alongside his coffee. 

Michael always woke up first. He would go downstairs, sit down at the kitchen table, pouring over the latest news while downing a murky cup of black coffee. His mother was close behind, always scolding Michael fondly for his addiction of coffee while she had the maid make her tea. Otherwise, they didn’t speak over breakfast. They kept to themselves in a cool silence, only interrupted by the rustling of papers as pages turned. Castiel actively avoided these morning meetings. 

Unfortunately for Castiel, the kitchen was at the back of the house, directly below his room. The sliding doors to the backyard extended from floor to ceiling, wall to wall. Not ideal when attempting to make an early morning getaway. And there was no way Castiel would risk getting caught on the stairs to use the front door. 

So he waited. Waited until their internal alarms went off, signalling it was time for them to shower and get ready for church. 

The seconds ticked by, trickling into minutes. Castiel sat with his knees up, arms folded around them, chin resting on the tops of them. He watched patiently as the sun rose, warm and bright, over the rows of quiet houses. 

Then he heard it. The sound of chairs scraping against the tiles, a paper being tossed in the trash. Footfalls on the stairs. Doors snapped shut. 

A smile spread across his lips and Castiel sprang to his feet.

Sliding down the roof, Castiel gently, silently, swung his feet over the gutter and dropped himself onto the awning over the kitchen doors. One quick glance over the edge and into the kitchen showed him the coast was clear. 

Of course his luck was bound to run out sometime, as he jumped of the awning, stumbled, and fell with an audible groan. He peered cautiously up at the windows above him for any sign someone had heard, but none came. With a triumphant smile, Castiel quickly climbed to his feet and jogged down the driveway, not stopping until he was safely out of the neighborhood. 

His phone lead the way from one end of town to the other. It was a slow walk; he was in no rush, it was still early. The sun had barely risen above the trees. Dean had said to come any time he wanted, but Castiel had a feeling that didn’t mean seven in the morning. Dean didn’t even look awake at ten thirty, he had a feeling early morning Dean was quite a sight to behold. 

He wandered into a smaller neighborhood at about eight. The houses were older here, with more life thrumming through them. The yards were large and filled with trees, bikes and toys scattered in the grass, showing someone actually occupied the houses. Castiel had grown accustomed to the pristine white houses, with glittering windows and empty yards. 

“Your destination is on the right.” Castiel paused and looked up skeptically. Google maps had a tendency to say that when he was still miles away. 

Before him was a white house, with a large porch stretching across three quarters of the front. Flowers spilled from the garden in the yard, bushes and plants cared for and overgrown. Castiel smiled; his mother was not one for gardens, but the few she’d had were always professionally cared for. Not a leaf out of place.

A large black car was parked in the driveway. A Chevy Impala. Castiel had heard Dean talk fondly about “his baby” many times. How he could still remember what it looked like when he was younger. Even after his accident his father taught him how to work on the car, to get a feel for the engine and learn what each part felt like under his hands. Castiel smiled, taking a step toward it to admire their careful handiwork. 

Someone appeared in the window, pulling the lace curtains to the side. All he caught was a head of blonde hair and a flashing smile before she disappeared and then the door was being pulled open. 

“Castiel?” She called, stepping out onto the porch. There was no mistaking her for who she was. Her angular jaw and familiar crooked smile were exactly like Dean’s. 

He stowed his phone in his pocket and gave her a shy smile of his own. 

“Yes.”

“Oh good, we’ve been expecting you! I’m Mary, Dean’s mother.” She said excitedly, stepping off the porch and peering curiously down the street. “Did you walk here?” She asked, almost in alarm. 

Castiel nodded sheepishly and she frowned, eyes narrowing a fraction as she surveyed him. The same way Dean sometimes did over the tops of her sunglasses. And, like Dean, she seemed to already know when not to press for information. 

“Well come on, you’re just in time for breakfast.” She urged with a hand on his shoulder, steering him inside the house. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have another quick chapter with some cute family time with the Winchesters!

Someone was running down the stairs, almost slamming into the pair of them as he went.

“Sam!” Mary scolded as the blur skidded to a stop, turning around to smile apologetically at them. 

“Sorry.” He called, but would not be distracted, turning right back around to run for the kitchen. 

Castiel stared after him. He couldn’t help it; the boy was a giant! Was he supposed to be the younger brother? 

“That’s my youngest, Sam. He’ll be more approachable after he’s fed.” She sighed, ushering him down a narrow hallway. The walls were practically covered in photos. Castiel wished he had time to look at them all.

“Dean, gimme!”

“No!”

“You’re hogging the syrup!”

“That’s because you drown your pancakes, and I’ve got to get some while I can.”

“For your information, I put the perfect amount on.”

“Oh sure, if the perfect amount is having your pancakes so soaked they disintegrate!”

“At least I put some on; you practically eat yours dry! That’s disgusting.”

“How about…” Another, deeper voice cut in, “I just take the syrup and you two shut the hell up.”

There was a moment of silence, and then. “Nope, not a chance. Give it!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“No!”

“Ye-”

“Boys!” Mary shouted from the doorway, brushing past Castiel with a sharp sigh. She reached over her son’s head to snatch the bottle out of Dean’s grip, setting it on the counter with a sharp smack. 

“Hey Cas!” Dean called in his direction with a bright smile. 

Castiel stared at him in shock. 

Dean didn’t have on his sunglasses. Castiel had never seen his whole face before; when he thought of Dean, imagined him (not that he did it often or anything), the glasses were always there. They were just a part of him, a natural addition to his facial features. 

Now Castiel found himself hoping he never had to see those glasses again, not when Dean’s unfathomably green eyes framed by long dark lashes were staring in his direction. They were so clear, so focussed, you would never know he was blind just by looking. 

“You gonna join us or just stand there all day?” Dean asked after hearing Castiel make no move to approach the table. Sam kicked the chair beside him back enough  for Cas to sit. 

Slowly, cautiously, Castiel made his way into the room. Their father finally looked up from his newspaper for the first time and took in Castiel’s appearance with raised eyebrows. As he sank into the chair beside him, Castiel sat on the far edge, already worried about the snide comments he could feel coming. 

But none came. 

“John Winchester.” He said, extending a hand for Castiel to shake. It was callused a worn; Castiel could see the faded grease stains on his palms that no amount of washing would clean off. 

“Castiel.”

“About time we met you.” John added, tossing his paper aside in favor of filling his plate with pancakes. “Dean here never shuts up about you.”

“Dad!” Dean complained, glowering at him as a blush colored the tips of his ears. Castiel only smiled sheepishly, accepting the plate Mary offered him. 

“M’ Sam by da way.” The brother introduced around a mouthful of pancake. 

“Dude, don’t talk with your mouth full.” Dean scolded, sounding so much like his mother Castiel couldn’t help but chuckle. Sam elbowed his brother in the ribs. 

“It’s true too. Talks about you all the time. Loser.”

“Shut up, bitch.”

“Jerk.”

“Alright, that’s enough.” Mary sighed, though there was a fondness in her tone that took any edge out of her warning. The pair of them kept mumbling curses to each other while Mary took the liberty of stacking at least ten pancakes onto Cas’s plate, buttering and syruping them for him. 

The doorbell rang, echoing through the house. 

“That’ll be Kevin.” Mary sighed, patting her younger son on the shoulder as she went to get the door. Sam began shoveling in his pancakes in earnest. Castiel discovered why a moment later. 

“Hey Sam!” A middle schooler, maybe a year younger than Sam, came bounding into the room. Black hair that flopped in his eyes, clad in a khaki jacket that was far too big from him, he look ten times smaller than Sam the colossus.

“You staying for breakfast?” John asked, about to pull out a plate for the boy rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. 

“Nope, ate on the way.” He said brightly, waiting impatiently for Sam to clear his plate. “Ready to go yet?” He added when Sam took a little too long to wash the syrup off his plate. 

“Yeah I’m finished.”

“What’re you two up to today?” John asked. 

“Mrs. Winchester is taking us to the comic book convention in Kansas City.” Kevin said brightly and Mary sighed, leaning against the counter. 

“You know, it’s your turn.” Mary added as John passed. “I can only listen to the difference between Hawkeye’s suit in the first Avengers versus the second so many times.”   
“As much as I would love to, truly, Bobby called me into the shop.” John said as sincerely as he could muster, only succeeding in making Mary whack him with the back of her hand with a skeptical smile. 

“I’m sure you offered on purpose.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it darling.”

Castiel watched them both with a warm smile. Those kind of interactions, the carefree banter between the two of them, were completely unheard of in his house. His father was away most of the time due to his “writing career”. On the rare occasions he was actually at home, the two either sat in silence. Or they were screaming at each other. 

“Alright, let’s go boys.” Mary sighed, ruffling Kevin’s hair. “Dean, you two will be alright while we’re gone?”

“Course we will.” He said with a grin. 

“If you want us to stay here…” She sounded somewhat hopeful. Dean only smiled.    
“Nope, I would never dream of taking this day away from you.” He simpered and she shook her head, elbowing him before bending down to kiss the top of his head. 

“You keep him in line for me.” Mary added to Castiel, patting him on the shoulder as she followed the younger boys down the hall. 

“Alright, lunch’s in the fridge, can get some takeout if you want. Dean you know where the menus are.” John said with a wave of his hands, clapping the both of them on the shoulder before following his wife out the door. 

Dean grinned after them before setting his bright green eyes on Castiel. “So, what movies should we watch first?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! I didn't have much time for editing, so if you see anything, let me know!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A look into movie night with Dean and Castiel. Hope you all enjoy! Next chapter should be up soon!

“So wait…” Castiel began and Dean groaned, flopping dramatically onto the floor at Cas’s feet. 

“Caaaaaaaas….”

“But that doesn’t make sense!” Castiel exclaimed, pointing furiously at the screen as the eagles departed, leaving twelve dwarfs and a hobbit stranded at the foot of Mirkwood forest. Gandalf was furiously wandering around the entrance while the rest of the company began squabbling amongst themselves. 

“Do not question it, Cas, just let the art wash over you.” Dean instructed, propping himself up on his elbow to grin at him from where he lay on the floor. 

“But...why didn’t the eagles just bring them to the other side? Wouldn’t that have saved them a lot of time and effort?” Castiel pressed, feeling as though he was missing something crucial. Was there a specific reason they had to travel through the rather menacing looking forest that he hadn’t heard?

Surprisingly, Dean did not have an immediate response. Each of Castiel’s previous questions, and there had been many, were met with an instant explanation that made all other events fall into place. Now, he simply frowned in the television’s direction as though it had done him a great personal harm. 

“Dean?”

He blinked and turned to glower at Castiel. “You know what. Shut up.” He said finally, picking up a handful of popcorn and lobbing it in Castiel’s direction, most of it hitting him in the face. “Besides, without Mirkwood, we would never get to see the handsome Legolas...even though he wasn’t even in the Hobbit to begin with. But whatever, just shush.” 

“No.” Castiel argued, hitting the back of Dean’s head with a pillow. Even he had to admit, it was a little gentle. 

“That all you got, Cas?” Dean teased, turning around to stick his tongue out at him. 

Castiel’s eyes narrowed at the challenge, gripping the edges of the pillow and preparing to strike again. 

“Ah-ah, not a chance!” Dean called over his shoulder, waggling a finger at him like a stern parent before tapping his ear. “Vulcan hearing.” He added. 

“I don’t understand that reference.” Castiel mumbled, dejectedly allowing the pillow to flop back onto the couch. 

Dean shuffled around for something on the floor before producing a pen a post-it note. “Adding Star Trek to our lovely list.” He muttered, mostly to himself, holding it up over his shoulder for Castiel to see on the couch. Castiel smiled at their growing list. They had only made it through Mean Girls and one and a half of the Hobbit movies. They each seemed to be about five hours long. 

“Hey Cas…” Dean started as he set the post-it note aside, playing with a fray on the hem of his jeans. 

“Hm?”

“I got a weird question for you.”

Castiel frowned and sat up. “Okay.”   
“You’re gay.”

Castiel smiled a little, “Not a question, but yes I am.”   
“How did you know?” Dean asked in a small voice, one that Castiel had heard on him only a handful of times. 

Castiel’s brows furrowed as he thought about how to answer, biting at his lip as he watched the characters on the screen without really seeing what they were doing. 

“I don’t know.” He finally admitted. “I just sort of...always knew.”

Dean nodded thoughtfully, seeming to be a thousand miles away. 

“Why do you ask?” Castiel hedged curiously. 

“Have you ever dated anyone?” Dean deflected. Castiel frowned, but decided against pushing. This seemed like a touchy and unfamiliar subject for Dean. 

“Once.” Castiel answered, “My friend Balthazar.”

“How was that?”

“Fine I suppose. It was only for a few weeks. It...didn’t end well.” Castiel eyes darkened as he thought of that night when he came home from school, Michael’s rage being evident from the moment he walked through the door. That night he called Balthazar to put an end to their short relationship. Balthazar had been nothing but understanding, which helped. They stayed friends after, but had to keep their respective distance while Michael was around.  

Dean’s head shot up, eyes narrowed to a glare, “Did he do something?”

Castiel almost smiled at the protective shift in his friend’s voice. “No, it wasn’t his fault.”

“Oh…” Dean trailed off, clearly hoping for an explanation but not expecting one. 

“My family is...they are very narrow minded.” Castiel clarified. “Coupled with my brother’s temper and my father’s almost constant absence, it does not bode well for someone who is considered different.”

This was the most he had talked about his family to anyone. Ever. Even Balthazar hadn’t known the extent of their anger. Dean sat in silence, eyes cast worriedly in the direction of his face. Castiel didn't meet his gaze, frowning down at his lap as he pushed the harsh memories aside. It was actually somewhat refreshing to talk about it with someone. 

“I’m really sorry, Cas.” Dean said after a moment, reaching up for Cas’s hand. Castiel smiled, sliding it forward so Dean could catch it in his grasp. 

“It’s alright.”

“No...it isn't really.” Dean mumbled, but didn’t say anymore, simply squeezing his hand to get the emotion across. Castiel felt it deeply. 

“So, is there a reason for your sudden curiosity?” Castiel mused after a comfortable silence. 

The hand holding his tightened minutely before falling back to Dean’s side. Castiel frowned, looking down at his now empty hand with a look of extreme dislike. 

“I was just wondering.” Dean mumbled. “Does everyone just know? Or can it kind of happen out of nowhere?”

“I wouldn’t really be able to answer that.” Castiel sighed thoughtfully. “I suppose each person is different. Then there’s also different kinds of orientation. You could like men and women, just men, just women. And some others.”

Dean nodded thoughtfully. 

“Bisexuality is when you like men and women, right?” He asked. 

“Yes.”

“Hm.”

“...Dean-”

 

_ “You’re the meaning in my life,  _ _   
_ _ You’re the inspiration!” _

  
“Shit!” Dean exclaimed, scrabbling around for his phone as the song continued to blare. He looked up apologetically at Cas before answering with a short, “Hey Lisa.”   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just felt like the Hobbit was essential to this chapter. So let me know what you think in the comments below!! More to come soon! Love you all! <3

**Author's Note:**

> What did you think??? Leave a comment below? Pretty please? Seriously, I love hearing from you!


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